Method of closing the ends of tubular bodies



y 1942- A. B. JOHNSON METHOD OF CLOSING THE ENDS 0F TUBULAR BODIES Filed Dec 5 9 ATTORNEY v Patented May 26, 194 2 s PATE-N T OFFICEv METHOD OF CLOSING THE ENDS OF TUBULAR BODIES Arthur B. Johnson, University Heights, Ohio, as-

'signor to The Cleveland Pneumatic Tool Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 5, 1939, Serial No. 307,663

6 Claims.

This invention relates broadly to a novel method of producing tubular members with closed ends forming an integral part of the members, but more particularly to the method of making the closed hollow heads of rams or the like such as used in portable pneumatic tools of .the sand rammer or back fiill tamper type.

One object of this invention is to produce tubular members with integral'closed ends without necessitating the use of welds or the like tending to alter the physical characteristics of the metal. j

Another object of this invention isto close one or both ends of a tubular member in a manner affording fiat end walls of a thickness substantially equal to that of the sidewall of said memb Another object of this invention is to produce a ram for portable pneumatic tools such as-sand 'rammers or the like, wherein the hollow head thereof is closed in a manner capable of being subjected to its usual vibrations resulting from the rapid reciprocation of the ram without danger of looseningthe connection between the headof'the ram and the closed end'thereof.

Another object of this invention is to produce a simple, efiicient and relatively inexpensive method of permanently closing the ends of tubular members. 1 l" i In the drawing: I

Fig. 1 ,is a top plan view of a portion of a machine used for closing the end-of a tubular member in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional indicated by line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are views illustrating difierent stages of the closing or spinning operation.

Fig. '6 is a longitudinal sectional view of cotioned for final operation,

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Flmfiillustrating the operating dies with the tubular member posiview taken in a plane the work slightly dies and tubular memberat theend of the final operation.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view, in section, of v a member or ram produced ;in" accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawing l0 represents the" head of alathelike machine operatively mounted on the: spindle thereof ior, rotation therewith.- I 2 represents the table of the machine, which table ispartly circular and perfectly fiat,'and has mounted thereon a carriage l3 swingable around the'pivot l4. The carhaving a chuck ll] 'condition,' which heat *until the extreme end of the work, when shaped rlage is formed with a circular guideway l5 operatively associated with the circular border of the 55 .their original position,

tively long handle l8 through which the carriage may be swung around the pivot l4. The

carriage It may also be moved radially relative to the pivot M by the usual mechanism including the screw l9 and the operating handle 20.

The work is represented by a ram 2lformed with a cylindrical open ended hollow head 22 forming with the ram 2| an annular shoulder 23. In practice, the ram 2| is inserted in the chuck I I and clamped therein with its head 22 extending axially Fig. l. Carried by. the carriage 13, there is a tool 24 having a slightly rounded blunt end 25 engageable with the tubular member or head 22 in the manner about to be described. The tool 24 being rigidly secured to the carriage by a cap screw 26.

While the work is being rotated at a relatively high speed, the blunt end 25 of the tool 24 is fed against the side wall of the head 22. The ,engagement of .the' tool with the work is calculated to take placeat a distance from the open end '01 greater than one-half the outside diameter of the work or head 22, thereby providing sufilcient stock to be spun over the end of the work for closing the latter. Subsequently, through the relatively long handle l8 secured to the carriage l3, the carriage I3 is gradually swung around the pivot l4, thereby causing swinging movement of the tool 24 and more particularly of its blunt end 25 over the end of the work for causing the gradual inward movement of the side wall of the work adjacent the open end thereof as shown in Fig. 3. As the carriage l3 and tool 24 are finally swung into closer coaxial position with the will assume the shape the carriage and tool shown in Fig. 4, and when are finally rotated 90 from assume the closed domelike; shape shown in Fig. 5. In practice, while performing the closing operation. above described, the rotary speed of the Zviork tog'ether with the pressure'of' the tool end must be such as to create sufilcient frictional rosistance'causing the open end portion of the work to gradually heat to a readily deformable will gradually-increase substant fl's in Fig. .4, reaches' a substantially i'usingcondition, 'thus resulting in the now intherefrom as clearlyishown-ln work, the end of the work the end of the work will turned side wall of the work to actually melt to-- thick side walls, it has been found advisable tofirst preheat the end portion ofthe work intended to be closed to a temperature of 1400 to -2000 F., and thereafter closingthe end of the work in the manner above described. In this instance, the work being already heated to a more or less readily deformable condition, can easily be shaped into the closed domelike end shownin Fig. 5.

After the work has been spun-as above described, it is removed from the chuck II and placed into a die 21 which is made to fit closely around the head 22, the die 21 being also adapted to receive the stem 28 o'f'another die 29. Subsequently,'the two dies 21 and 29 are moved toward each other, thereby causing the stem 28 to flatten the domelike closed end of the head 22 while the die 21 prevents lateral expansion of the head, thus resulting in the hollow closed fiat end of the head 22 shown in Fig. 8.

When dealing with relatively large and heavy .tubular members, it has been found desirable before flattening the dome end of the work :to again preheat that end portion to a temperature of 1400 to 2000 F., in which instance the stock being in a more or less plastic condition will more readily be capable of assuming the desired shape.

I claim:

1. The method of closing the normally open end of a steel tubular member which consists of axially rotating said member, feeding against said member near the open end thereof the blunt end of a tool and gradually swinging said tool over the end .of said member around an axis perpendicular to the center axis of said member, the rotary speed of said member together with the pressure of said tool against said memher being such as to heat that end portion of said member into a readily deformable condition, said tool being made to first engage said member at a predetermined distance from the i open end thereof to cause upon swinging movement of said tool over the end of said member within an arc oi -about ninety degrees the gradual reduction of the diameter of said end portion' into a closeddomelike end-wall.

2. The method of closing the normally open end of a steel tubular member which consists of axially rotating said member, pressing against said member near the open end thereof a blunt tool and while so pressed against said member gradually swinging said tool over the end of the member around an axis perpendicular to the centenaxis. of said member to cause gradual inward movement of the side wall portion of said member adjacent said open end into a closed domelike end wall, the rotary speed of said member together with the pressure of said tool againstsaid member being such as to gradually heat that end portion of said member to a substantially fusing condition during the final closing stage of said end.

3. The method of closing the normally open end of a steel tubular member which consists of preheating that end portion of said member to a temperature of l400 to 2000" F., subsequently axially rotating'saidmember, pressing against said member near the open end thereof a blunt tool and gradually swinging said tool over said end around an axis perpendicular to the center axis of said memberto cause gradual inward movement of the side wall'portion of said member adjacent said open end into a closed domelike end wall.

4. The method of closing the normally open end of a steel tubular member which consists of preheating that end -portion to a temperature .of 1400" to 2000 F., subsequently axially rotating said member, pressing against said member near the open end thereof a blunt tool and gradually swinging said tool over said end around an axis perpendicular to the center axis of said member to cause gradual inward moveportion to a substantially fusing condition during the final closing stage of said end.

5. The method oi producing a normally open ended steel tubular member with a substantially flat closed end perpendicular to the center axis of said member which consists of axially rotating said member and while so rotated pressing against its side wall near the open end thereof a blunt tool and gradually swinging said tool over the end of said member to cause gradual inward movement of the wall ofsaid member adjacent said open end into a closed domelike end wall, the rotary speed of said member together with the pressure of said tool against said member being such as to gradually heat that end portion of said member to asubstantially fusing condition during the final closing stage of said end, and subsequently pressing fiat said domelike end wall while preventing lateral expansion of position of said tool relative to said member to a final position of the tool lengthwise of the member.

ARTHUR B. JOHNSON; 

